With many global societies placing greater importance on planet-friendly foods and lifestyles, the consumption of plant-based foods is rising. With this, several coloration trends impact the industry, with manufacturers honing in on red, orange and yellow sources for the plant-based and vegan food sectors. 

FoodIngredientsFirst speaks with Christiane Lippert, head of marketing for food at Lycored, who says, “coloration is essential to make products more visually appealing and familiar to consumers today.”

“Consumer attitudes to plant-based products are shifting, and the vegetarian food industry is investing in creating substitutes nearly indistinguishable from real meat regarding taste, texture after cooking and presentation,” she explains. 

“There is a real need to develop and enhance what the consumer sees on the shelves as well as facilitate growth in alternative plant bases, such as soy sources. For these reasons, red, orange and yellow sources continue to be the solid contenders in these categories.”

True to color
Plant-based meat alternatives are vying to be at the top of the vegetarian product food chain. Still, they cannot get there unless the ingredients are clean label, able to withstand intensive processing, and assure color stays true. 

This is challenging product development teams to find color ingredients that can handle plant-based protein substitutes processing conditions, says Lippert. 

“For the plant-based meat alternatives category, products must reflect the natural colors and hues of real meats such as beef, poultry and fish, be clean label and free from any ingredients made from animal by-products,” she maintains. 

With this, Lippert urges that lycopene-based colors are “a natural first choice for many of today’s most popular meat substitutes, particularly for pink and red shades.”

They are plant-sourced, non-GMO project verified, vegan, allergen-free, kosher and halal, and from a backward integrated source, she adds. 

Taste perceptions evolve 
Consumer taste profiles are continually changing, and products respond with new flavor profiles, amplified attributes and new bases. 

“Color is, and always has been, essential when it comes to consumer choice of foods,” asserts Lippert. 

“Notably, colors that stay bright and vibrant are essential when a recipe has been changed as they maintain the ‘tastes good’ appeal even wher there may be less sugar or sweeteners,” she details. 

The perception of ingredients is increasingly becoming a key marketable element of brand identity. “These taste associations satisfy the demands of social media users and influencers.”

Lycored’s color and flavor-enhancing solutions are extracted from nature using production methods that leverage its lycopene-rich tomato breed and support natural positioning for products in multiple categories. 

“For the plant-based market, manufacturers must understand which colors work and which don’t,” Lippert continues. 

“We recently published a stability study to understand which colors can withstand the rigors of processing and deliver authentic meat-like coloration with long-lasting stability in plant-based meat alternatives.”

Focusing on plant-based deli ham slices and sausage-style encased meats, Lycored’s scientists put their portfolio of all-natural, lycopene-based colors to the test by comparing them to two industry-standard all-natural color alternatives: beet and iron oxide. 

“For both ham slices and sausages, Lycored’s lycopene-based color outperformed beet and iron oxide in terms of process stability and authentic, appetizing hues,” explains Lippert. 

The colors did not fade or brown, despite all the testing conditions’ rigors, even when placed with the typical shelf life of two months. “This means manufacturers can showcase their products to consumers using product windows and cut down on the use of packaging sleeves,” she adds. 

Resonating with consumers
“Consumers are drawn to foods that are a familiar and appealing color. For example, achieving the bright red of the simple strawberry is not easy with all red colorant sources as many are more purple in direction,” explains Lippert.

There is also a significant requirement for authenticity, meaning consumers expect authentic color ingredients derived from natural sources to be used in products. “Still, manufacturers aim to visually replicate that shade,” she asserts. 

“However, consumers consistently want to make choices for their wellness, and natural coloring provides more confidence for a safer decision.”

As well as this, naturality is a major concern for consumers. 

“Products that are environmentally and ethically friendly are high on consumer agendas. There has been notable growth in plant-based products to cater to flexitarian and vegan consumers. In the beverage market, this has led to the increasing popularity of plant-based ingredients,” she details. 

Alongside this, artificial colors have been clouded with negative associations in the past. “The wellness and acceptance of final consumers are paramount. In this context, choosing the right color key is critical.”

According to Lippert, Lycored has seen “extraordinary demand for its Lycopene colors of red and pink and have expanded production for this very reason.”

These colors ultimately “have inherent healthy goodness in nutrient form,” as well as providing shade, “so will always lead the way in the sector.”